PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
Stockholm, Sweden, 2011/12/07 - Drilling noise is a major source of irritation, not only for drill rig operators and others on the worksite but also to people living in the area and passers-by. Now the noise generated by drilling has been reduced to a new low level thanks to Atlas Copco.

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This distinctive kit or hood is offered as an option with the company’s new SmartROC T35 and T40 drill rig, making it one of the quietest surface drill rigs on the market.

First introduced in 2005, the silencer has been upgraded and improved in cooperation with experienced users, reducing the noise generated from the feed by a further 2 dB(A) to a total sound power reduction of 12 dB(A).

This means that site personnel at the recommended safety distance from the rig during operation can converse with colleagues without having to shout, use a phone and more easily hear other noise around them while still keeping their ear protectors in place.

Another big plus is increased competitiveness. With continued urban expansion and more and more quarrying and infrastructure projects near residential areas, contractors using Atlas Copco’s silence kit will be more likely to be regarded as preferred suppliers.

New standard on the market
Olav Kvist, Product Line Manager at Atlas Copco Surface Drilling Equipment says the secret of the new kit lies in a double layer of noise absorbant material together with an upgraded aluminium chassis that has greater resistence to drill rod vibration.

“The real noise source is the drill rod,” Kvist says. “We reduced this noise considerably with the first silence kit and now we have done it again by reducing it with a further 2 dB(A) which sets a new standard on the market.”

Besides better noise dampening, the new kit is also more functional than its predecessor. It has four access hatches (with a fifth at the very top of the feed). These can be opened two at a time at the touch of a button, allowing access for rod handling, inspection of coupling sleeves or service. In addition, the kit has also been equipped with an improved lighting system.

Without the silencer kit, the specified noise level of the SmartROC T35 and T40 is 127 dB(A) at peak power. The advanced energy saving features of this new SmartROC platform also reduces overall sound power since only the required energy is produced. With the silencer kit added, tests show that the noise level drops to 115 dB(A).This gives an improved working environment at urban construction sites and meets demands for low noise today and for the foreseeable future.

Designed and developed by Atlas Copco, the first silence kit has been ordered together with a SmartROC T40 for delivery to Canada.

Atlas Copco Surface Drilling Equipment (atlascopco.com) is a division within Atlas Copco’s Mining and Rock Excavation Technique business area. It develops, manufactures, and markets rock drilling equipment and mobile crushers and screeners for various applications in civil engineering, quarries and open pit mines worldwide. The division focuses strongly on innovative product design and aftermarket support systems, which give added customer value. The divisional headquarters and main production center is in Örebro, Sweden.

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